G'day! Pull up a chair! Join me at the kitchen table for a chat...let's toss a few thoughts around about the state of this crazy but wonderful world we inhabit. There's lots to discuss! Make yourself comfortable! Would you like a glass of wine?

Friday, January 19, 2018

COME ON, EILEEN! LET’S BE KEEN ABOUT TWENTY-EIGHTEEN!

/Fun acrylic paintings done by me a few years ago

Bindi Weed

Cobbler's Pegs

Flashing by at the speed of light, 2017 made 365
days seem like 182!Already the past 12
months are a blur.In some instances,
that’s good. If you’re not already aware
- the Mad Season is all over Red Rover. Don’t be fooled into thinking otherwise
because, you see, upon opening the fridge, glaring back at you bedraggled scraps
of ham desperately hanging onto the bone; or you discovered fruit mince tarts
and a square of Christmas cake hiding on a shelf.

In truth, I still have some of my Christmas
fare left - not a lot - but none will go to waste.Already, as I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve enough pea and ham soup stored in individual containers in
my freezer to see 2018 out!

Already half way through January, I’m a few steps behind
in catching up with my New Year postings - more than a few when I take note of the
date. It’s okay...I do have a very valid
excuse for being a tardy blogger. After my explanation below, a note will not be needed.

My Christmas-New Year period was spent with my two
best friends. I couldn’t have wished for better company.The avidity of the humidity sapped our energy
- an excellent excuse to halt any thoughts of unnecessary activity.

Because my mates are experts in the art of lounging,
sprawling, loafing and reclining, I followed their lead.I’m a quick learner when the need arises.

Feeling no guilt, and with no one to answer to, we three
were happy to loll around like sloths through the steamy, steamy last couple of
days of 2017, and the first couple of weeks or so of 2018. It’s still quite warm here, but with the humidity
giving us a rest – temporarily, no doubt – it’s not half bad.

My four-legged friends and I watched the cricket,
the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race and the tennis; still sweating,
but not sweating the small stuff, or the big stuff.Mostly, my furry rascals snoozed while I kept
a look-out.

In between the various sporting events I binged, but
not on food or liquor.Not a drop of alcohol has been imbibed by me since
the pre-Christmas party I attended at my landlords’ home on the Wednesday evening
prior to 25th December. How boring
am I!!? (Don't answer that)!

Australia Day is coming up...Friday, 26th
January, and I intend letting my hair down, and kicking up my heels by having a
couple of liquid liquor refreshments in the late afternoon. A small street party has been organised by the
good folk up the far end of this lane. It
will include the folk in the lane that runs parallel to this one, as well...if they
choose to enjoy our company, that is. If
not, they don’t know what scintillating company they will be missing out on!

However - back to my hectic schedule of the past few
weeks leading up to this very moment....

Strolling along Atlantic City’s boardwalk with Enoch
“Nucky” Thompson and the mob in “Boardwalk Empire” I had a bird’s eye view of
the fun, games and rackets of the Prohibition era; a time when, ironically,
banned alcohol flowed freely. It was a binge-worthy series.No money was spared on its production.It's a fabulous series, brilliantly produced, directed and acted. With the two Executive Producers being Martin Scorsese and Mark Wahlberg, one could not expect anything less. The soundtrack is also superb. If you've not watched the series...I highly recommend it.

My roomies and I were bereft at series’ end.

Nucky had departed, but lucky for me the tennis gangs,
with their racquets arrived.

The
bingeing continues....

It began with The Hopman Cup (held in Perth, capital
city of Western Australia) and The Brisbane International...held in....well, Brisbane,
Queensland’s capital city. After a bit of
fun courting the nets in Sydney, the Australian Open being held in Melbourne, now
has my undivided attention. This addiction hits me every January. I battle my way through without need of going into
rehab..it is touch and go at times, though.

I do love the tennis.

Resolutions are not on my New Year’s agenda – I don’t
have a New Year agenda - other than to discount what the “experts” tell me to
eat and what not to eat; how much and how little to eat; how to eat it, and when
to eat it – even when not to eat it! Fingers
will always be “in” in my book. Saves on
the washing up!

The advice changes daily so there’s no point being excited
about the latest best thing since sliced bread.

Hopefully, we’ve seen the last of glass jars as
drinking vessels! To the scrap heap with
activated charcoal, chicken sashimi and air diets.

Take heed! You heard it here first...the 2018 craze is bindi-eye
needles and crushed onehunga-weed leaves.In case you’ve a hunger for weed - “Onehunga-weed” is bindi-weed.The leaves are parsley-like; no one will know
the difference. Dried, crushed bindi-eye
needles substitute for cracked black pepper.

Along with cobbler’s pegs, they’ll be the next best thing since Cherry
Ripes...close, but no cigar!

As with most of the fanciful nonsense we’re told,
follow my above advice at your own peril!

You have been warned!

On the other hand, in some parts of the world black
jacks aka cobbler’s pegs are used as a food or medicine source. During the
Vietnam War soldiers adopted cobbler’s pegs as a vegetable. It became known as
the “soldier vegetable”.

It could be said I’m not as mad as I seem after all
- it’s your call...

Hi Arlene...It's be a bit difficult to watch the complete series of "Boardwalk Empire" in one sitting! There are five seasons in total....11 of which had 12 episodes...and I think the final season had 8 episodes. It's well worth setting time aside to watch it, in my opinion.

The street party will be a fairly small one...probably only about 15 people...these two lanes are not long or over-populated....but it should be enjoyable.

Hi EC...the southern states really are copping the heat at present. I don't know how the tennis players keep playing in that scorching heat. Fortunately, a cooler change hit Melbourne late yesterday afternoon.

Well now Lee I too have been keeping close company with my tv since the starter's gun went bang in Sydney Harbour and we witnessed the near bingle of the two main contenders. I'm not scared of the reaction from others when I tell them I exist on a diet of Tennis and Cricket (in various forms) over this period until the year proper begin after Australia Day and the local kids go back to school.Oh and I was really interested in your recipe for Tuna Salad and then the desire faded once you made mention of Capers lol. I'm sure it will be just as good without them - what do you think?Take careCathy

G'Day, Cathy...."Wild Oats" and "Commanche" certainly did have a close shave at the beginning of the race...incredible. I don't care what others say, either, about my enjoying watching the tennis and the cricket...and the beginning of the yacht race...my life and choices are mine to make. :)

Leave the capers out of the tuna salad...they're not integral to the salad. Not adding them will make little, if no difference to the end result. Cook to one's own taste is always my motto.

Your cat painting is cute. I have very bad childhood memories of bindi-eye when visiting country NSW. The tennis outfits on tv hurt my eyes. I don't watch much American made tv, but Boardwalk Empire does appeal to me. It has been around for a while now.

Hi Andrew...the last season of Boardwalk was in 2014; the series began in 2010. It was originally on pay-TV here, and as I only have free-to-air I couldn't get to watch it, but wanted to because of all the terrific reviews it received. However, now with streaming that all has changed for me...thankfully.

I like American series, not all, of course. I like British series, too...and again....not all of them, either. I enjoy quality series/shows, whether they're American, British, Irish, Scottish, Australian, Danish or Swedish.

One of the many joys of living alone....I can watch whatever pleases me! lol

One thing I can't stand is our biased ABC news and current affair shows...and their self-serving so-called comedians who, in my opinion, are not in any way funny. (Some of their mates are on free-to-air TV, too...and I don't waste my time watching them, either, for the same reasons).

I will watch dramas such as "Luther", "Line of Duty", "Broadchurch" and similar on the ABC...but that is as far as my interest in that network goes. That's just me and my choices and preferences.

Wear sunglasses when watching the tennis. They're bright lot this year, but they'll have to calm down again when Wimbledon comes around...back to wearing white only. :)

You have been busy with 'things'. I rather like the tennis myself, so keep and eye on it.How good is your street to celebrate the coming Australia Day :) Do have a lovely time as this year will go quickly too.

There are only five abodes in this lane, Margaret (which include my little cabin), and about the same number of homes in the lane that runs parallel - so it won't be a huge gathering....most of the people I've never met! lol

Bindii weed for eating?? Surely not. There are far better things, tastier things, that don't threaten to pierce your gut on the way through. I haven't seen any bindii weed in years. Decades even. Plenty of Burrs with their similar-to-clover leaves.Interesting little tidbit for you in my Sunday selections tomorrow.

Shirley and I had a lovely lunch last week at The Rhubarb Shed. The waitress brought my apple juice in a jam jar. I said, "Business must be bad if you can't afford proper glasses. I will try to remember to bring my own glass next time we come for lunch!" The waitress looked non-plussed as if she thought she had just been addressed by a lunatic!

oh I love a good salad, dh doesn't like olives but I do, I'll keep these in mind for summer. you cats are taking advantage of cat naps I see. your summer is similar to that we had in California I don't miss it, never heard of cobblers peg, must look that on up.

Hey, Linda...Once upon a time I didn't like olives. It was New Year's Eve 1971 or 1972...long ago...I had an epiphany. And from that night forth, I've loved olives...green, black and stuffed.

I think as we get older...speaking for myself, anyway...the heat of summer becomes harder to bear. When I was younger it didn't worry me, but now I long for our winters. Our winters here where I live never get very cold. And, of course, we don't get snow. Winter is most pleasant...again, as far as I'm concerned, anyway.

If you were referring to the stupid craze of using Mason jars for everything including as a drinking vessel I'm absolutely with you all the way. Another case of "the Emperor's new clothes" syndrome.On the good news front I saw winter clothes in Target yesterday !! Gives you a little hope that there's an end in sight !

Hey there Helsie....Yes...that is the stupid craze to which I refer...the Mason jars. I can't see the point in using them as drinking vessels. To my eye and feel, there is nothing attractive about them...they look clumsy, for one thing!

If I served guests drinks in jam jars, they (along with me) would be horrified!!

With the appearance of winter clothes and Hot Cross buns in the stores...there is hope yet! lol

Until I read YP's comment I had no idea what you were talking about in relation to jam jars. People use them for drinking out of? Why? I don't envy you the humidity. I think I'd rather have our gales. When I played competitive croquet the hotter it got the happier I was because I love the heat and most of the rest of the players did not. (We rarely had high humidity in Hawkes Bay). This gave me a slight (and rather unfair) advantage. On the other hand when the breeze blew and the temperature dropped to 20 ℃ I was at a decided disadvantage.

Reading your recipes made me realise what was missing from the quinoa, mixed bean and feta salad I've just made: olives! Thank you.